diff --git a/executables/nr-ue.c b/executables/nr-ue.c
index 071d36087c..aaeda3df9a 100644
--- a/executables/nr-ue.c
+++ b/executables/nr-ue.c
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 #include "PHY/NR_REFSIG/refsig_defs_ue.h"
 #include "radio/COMMON/common_lib.h"
 #include "LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_oai_api.h"
+#include "LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.h"
+#include "RRC/NR/MESSAGES/asn1_msg.h"
 
 /*
  *  NR SLOT PROCESSING SEQUENCE
@@ -949,10 +951,33 @@ void init_NR_UE(int nb_inst, char *uecap_file, char *reconfig_file, char *rbconf
   
   for (int inst = 0; inst < nb_inst; inst++) {
     AssertFatal((rrc_inst = nr_l3_init_ue(uecap_file)) != NULL, "can not initialize RRC module\n");
-    AssertFatal((mac_inst = nr_l2_init_ue(rrc_inst)) != NULL, "can not initialize L2 module\n");
+    AssertFatal((mac_inst = nr_l2_init_ue()) != NULL, "can not initialize L2 module\n");
     AssertFatal((mac_inst->if_module = nr_ue_if_module_init(inst)) != NULL, "can not initialize IF module\n");
-    if (!get_softmodem_params()->sa)
+    if (!get_softmodem_params()->sa) {
       init_nsa_message(rrc_inst, reconfig_file, rbconfig_file);
+      // TODO why do we need noS1 configuration?
+      // temporarily moved here to understand why not using the one provided by gNB
+      nr_rlc_activate_srb0(mac_inst->crnti, NULL, send_srb0_rrc);
+      if (IS_SOFTMODEM_NOS1) {
+        // get default noS1 configuration
+        NR_RadioBearerConfig_t *rbconfig = NULL;
+        NR_RLC_BearerConfig_t *rlc_rbconfig = NULL;
+        fill_nr_noS1_bearer_config(&rbconfig, &rlc_rbconfig);
+
+        // set up PDCP, RLC, MAC
+        nr_pdcp_layer_init(false);
+        nr_pdcp_add_drbs(ENB_FLAG_NO, mac_inst->crnti, rbconfig->drb_ToAddModList, 0, NULL, NULL);
+        nr_rlc_add_drb(mac_inst->crnti, rbconfig->drb_ToAddModList->list.array[0]->drb_Identity, rlc_rbconfig);
+        struct NR_CellGroupConfig__rlc_BearerToAddModList rlc_toadd_list;
+        rlc_toadd_list.list.count = 1;
+        rlc_toadd_list.list.array = calloc(1, sizeof(NR_RLC_BearerConfig_t));
+        rlc_toadd_list.list.array[0] = rlc_rbconfig;
+        nr_rrc_mac_config_req_ue_logicalChannelBearer(0, &rlc_toadd_list, NULL);
+
+        // free memory
+        free_nr_noS1_bearer_config(&rbconfig, &rlc_rbconfig);
+      }
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlsim.c b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlsim.c
index fcc7bcc067..540fef1b38 100644
--- a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlsim.c
+++ b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlsim.c
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     nr_gold_pdsch(UE, i, UE->scramblingID_dlsch[i]);
   }
 
-  nr_l2_init_ue(NULL);
+  nr_l2_init_ue();
   UE_mac = get_mac_inst(0);
   ue_init_config_request(UE_mac, mu);
 
diff --git a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulsim.c b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulsim.c
index ba7e09d9f9..25e6d84430 100644
--- a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulsim.c
+++ b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulsim.c
@@ -690,8 +690,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   }
 
   //Configure UE
-  NR_UE_RRC_INST_t rrcue = {0};
-  nr_l2_init_ue(&rrcue);
+  nr_l2_init_ue();
 
   NR_UE_MAC_INST_t* UE_mac = get_mac_inst(0);
 
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/mac_proto.h b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/mac_proto.h
index 8b5c4b47d5..7789d4c0c4 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/mac_proto.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/mac_proto.h
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@
    \param module_id      module id */
 void nr_ue_init_mac(module_id_t module_idP);
 
+void send_srb0_rrc(int rnti, const uint8_t *sdu, sdu_size_t sdu_len, void *data);
+
 /**\brief apply default configuration values in nr_mac instance
    \param mac           mac instance */
 void nr_ue_mac_default_configs(NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac);
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_sib1(module_id_t module_id,
                                 NR_ServingCellConfigCommonSIB_t *scc);
 
 /**\brief initialization NR UE MAC instance(s), total number of MAC instance based on NB_NR_UE_MAC_INST*/
-NR_UE_MAC_INST_t * nr_l2_init_ue(NR_UE_RRC_INST_t* rrc_inst);
+NR_UE_MAC_INST_t * nr_l2_init_ue();
 
 /**\brief fetch MAC instance by module_id, within 0 - (NB_NR_UE_MAC_INST-1)
    \param module_id index of MAC instance(s)*/
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/main_ue_nr.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/main_ue_nr.c
index bbc3da1739..9371c8c7df 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/main_ue_nr.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/main_ue_nr.c
@@ -36,16 +36,13 @@
 //#undef MALLOC
 #include "assertions.h"
 #include "executables/softmodem-common.h"
-#include "openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp.h"
-#include "openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_oai_api.h"
 #include "nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.h"
-#include "RRC/NR/MESSAGES/asn1_msg.h"
 #include "RRC/NR_UE/rrc_proto.h"
 #include <pthread.h>
 
 static NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *nr_ue_mac_inst; 
 
-static void send_srb0_rrc(int rnti, const uint8_t *sdu, sdu_size_t sdu_len, void *data)
+void send_srb0_rrc(int rnti, const uint8_t *sdu, sdu_size_t sdu_len, void *data)
 {
   AssertFatal(sdu_len > 0 && sdu_len < CCCH_SDU_SIZE, "invalid CCCH SDU size %d\n", sdu_len);
 
@@ -63,10 +60,9 @@ void send_msg3_rrc_request(module_id_t mod_id, int rnti)
   nr_mac_rrc_msg3_ind(mod_id, rnti);
 }
 
-NR_UE_MAC_INST_t * nr_l2_init_ue(NR_UE_RRC_INST_t* rrc_inst)
+NR_UE_MAC_INST_t * nr_l2_init_ue()
 {
     LOG_I(NR_MAC, "MAIN: init UE MAC functions \n");
-    
     //init mac here
     nr_ue_mac_inst = (NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *)calloc(NB_NR_UE_MAC_INST, sizeof(NR_UE_MAC_INST_t));
 
@@ -76,38 +72,8 @@ NR_UE_MAC_INST_t * nr_l2_init_ue(NR_UE_RRC_INST_t* rrc_inst)
     if (get_softmodem_params()->sa)
       ue_init_config_request(nr_ue_mac_inst, get_softmodem_params()->numerology);
 
-    if (get_softmodem_params()->do_ra || get_softmodem_params()->phy_test) {
-
-      int rc = rlc_module_init(0);
-      AssertFatal(rc == 0, "%s: Could not initialize RLC layer\n", __FUNCTION__);
-      nr_rlc_activate_srb0(nr_ue_mac_inst->crnti, NULL, send_srb0_rrc);
-      if (IS_SOFTMODEM_NOS1){
-        // get default noS1 configuration
-        NR_RadioBearerConfig_t *rbconfig = NULL;
-        NR_RLC_BearerConfig_t *rlc_rbconfig = NULL;
-        fill_nr_noS1_bearer_config(&rbconfig, &rlc_rbconfig);
-
-        // set up PDCP, RLC, MAC
-        nr_pdcp_layer_init(false);
-        nr_pdcp_add_drbs(ENB_FLAG_NO, nr_ue_mac_inst->crnti, rbconfig->drb_ToAddModList, 0, NULL, NULL);
-        nr_rlc_add_drb(nr_ue_mac_inst->crnti, rbconfig->drb_ToAddModList->list.array[0]->drb_Identity, rlc_rbconfig);
-        struct NR_CellGroupConfig__rlc_BearerToAddModList rlc_toadd_list;
-        rlc_toadd_list.list.count = 1;
-        rlc_toadd_list.list.array = calloc(1, sizeof(NR_RLC_BearerConfig_t));
-        rlc_toadd_list.list.array[0] = rlc_rbconfig;
-        nr_rrc_mac_config_req_ue_logicalChannelBearer(0, &rlc_toadd_list, NULL);
-
-        // free memory
-        free_nr_noS1_bearer_config(&rbconfig, &rlc_rbconfig);
-      }
-    }
-    else {
-      LOG_I(MAC,"Running without CellGroupConfig\n");
-      if(get_softmodem_params()->sa == 1) {
-        int rc = rlc_module_init(0);
-        AssertFatal(rc == 0, "%s: Could not initialize RLC layer\n", __FUNCTION__);
-      }
-    }
+    int rc = rlc_module_init(0);
+    AssertFatal(rc == 0, "%s: Could not initialize RLC layer\n", __FUNCTION__);
 
     return (nr_ue_mac_inst);
 }